Don and Anna Sapaugh accept the trophy for the Super Stew winner at Saturday's World Champion
Stew Contest, after the Sapaugh Team, sponsored by City National Bank was determined the
best stew in the contest.
Don Sapaugh Team Wins
2007 Stew Championship
by: Bobby McDonald
Winning flavor, James Vanwinkle and Don Sapaugh add ingredients,
early Saturday morning, to the stew pots that will eventually be determined
the winner. They were sponsored by City National Bank
By sunrise, smoke was rising through the air, as stew cooks mixed secret ingredients, boiled chicken and beef, and peeled potatoes and onions, on Saturday morning. It was the World Champion Hopkins County Stew Contest and a record 121 pots of stew had been entered in the contest, to make it the largest one ever. If one "sniffed" the pot, they recognized the favors of onion, garlic, chili powder, and an assortment of special spices blended to touch the taste buds of the panel of judges.
Judges assembled in the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce Office for a 9:00 meeting and then were charged with judging the stew in three different categories, chicken, beef, and super stew (those who have won the contest before). They were also asked to select the best campsites for awards.
The Wildcat Band Drum Corps provided enthusiasm during the Saturday morning's
stew contest, as they played through the grounds.
Most people who had attended the Saturday Stew Contest has already eaten their fill when the winners were announced at approximately 12:30 p.m. Winners were as follows:
Super Stew Winner:
Don Sapaugh Team, Sponsored by City National Bank.
The $500.00 prize money was sponsored by A.K. Gillis & Sons, Texas A&M
University Commerce, R.C. George Plumbing, & Coca Cola Sulphur Springs.
The Bankers Clearing House purchased the stew for $1,200.00.
Beef Division:
Michael Mund accepting the 2007 Beef Category Prize, from David Brewer.
1st place - Michael Mund, sponsored by Lone Star Milk Producers. The $300. prize money was
donated by Hiring partners and the stew was purchased by Agriland Farm Credit
Services for $500.00.
2nd place - Carolyn McKinney Team, sponsored by Southwest Dairy Museum. The $150.00 prize
money was donated by Custom Shutters and the stew was purchased by a consortium
of C.D. Ballard, Winburn Milk, Tire Town, NETBIO and Tommy Evans Firestone
for $350.00.
3rd place - Rudy Ellis Team, sponsored by Burke Bullock. Their $50.00 prize money was provided
by Judge Millsap and purchased by Best Western Trail Dust Inn for $200.00.
Chicken Division:
The Kathy Reeves Team accepting their award as Champion Chicken Stew winners.
1st place - Kathy Reeves Team, sponsored by Wayne Reeves. Their $300.00 prize money was
provided by R.C. George Plumbing, Randal Voss Allstate Insurance, and Coca-Cola.
The stew was purchased by a consortium of attorneys - Ramey & Sheffield, Powers &
Blount, Chad Cable, Bryan & Mattison, and Greg Price, for $750.00.
2nd place - Steve Littlefield Team, sponsored by Ben E. Keith. Their $150.00 prize money was
provided by Advantage Copy Systems. The stew was purchased by Hopkins County
Abstract, Alan Real Estate, Professional Land & Title, Century 21-First Group, &
Century 21 - Hometown, for $250.00.
3rd place - Chris Gibbons Team sponsored by Farm Bureau. Their $50.00 prize money was
provided by Town & Country Cleaners and was purchased by NRG Energy for $250.
Campsite Awards:
The Super Campsite Winners for 2007, accepting their trophy.
Johnny Chester Memorial Super Campsite Award:
Campsite #17 sponsored by Gober Merrell Chevrolet. The $250.00 prize
provided by Ocean Spray Cranberries.
Campsite and Costume Winner:
Campsite #106 sponsored by Hiring partners. The $150.00 prize was provided
Brookshires.
This year Honorable Mention Awards for stew was recieved as follows:
Chicken - Marsha Potts sponsored by FEC Electric Coop.
Charles Vaughn sponsored by Hall Oil Company.
Landon Womack sponsored by Lone Star Dodge.
Beef - Christy Galvan sponsored by Guaranty Bond Bank.
Jimmy Cannon sponsored by Friday Night Recovery.
A group shot of Saturday's Stew Contest Winners.
Mollie Gibbons and Anna Sapaugh proudly display their Dad's
trophies from Satuday's Stew Championship. Are they future
stew champions?
David Brewer, 2007 Stew Contest Chairman, expressed his thanks to all of the many, many people who helped with the contest this year, from serving as judges, to volunteering to cut-up cheese, drive stakes, serve stew, and all the duties that must be attended to host such a large event. He expressed this thanks to the following donors, as well"
Alliance Bank & City Nationa Bank - Cheese.
Furs & Chili's - Crackers.
The Pawn Shop & Fast Bail Bonds - Bowls.
Chicken Express - Quart containers, lids, & napkins.
Piggly Wiggly - trays.
Southwest Dairy Museum - Spoons.
Robert Mercer - Firewood.
Farm Country - Utility Carts.
As the last bite of stew was eaten and the old washpot was cleaned and greased for another season, the World Champion Hopkins County Stew Contest was "put to bed," along with a host of tired volunteers. "But, it just keeps getting bigger and bigger every year," exclaimed Billy Sam Elliott, Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce. "This year's weather helped to bring out a record number of folks and we already had a record number pots of stew!"
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